Iron Beaver - Stalwart 12/Arti 6/Monk 2 TWF

[cforce]

Because, as everyone knows, Beavers are Nature's Engineer.

OK, this is a bit of a weird one. As someone who does like group play, but is real-life forced to solo about 75% of the time, it's really been tough for me to find a melee build I'm happy with. Specifically, these are my requirements I'm trying to satisfy:

Solo-capable melee (without a hireling), which means:
- Warforged: the immunities, while of low value in a group, are still quite valuable solo
- Good DPS: at least 3/4 of an Axer on the Force Benchmark. Doesn't have to be great (85+% of an Axer), but should be respectable.
- Good defense: When soloing 75% of the time, soloing via expensive scroll or Silver Flame healing empties the bank account too durn fast. Damage mitigation is important.
...- AC pushable to 90 with group buff
...- Saves 30+
...- Evasion
- Wand and Scroll use: Looking for cheaper alternatives to Silver Flame pots
- Some amount of spell-bar healing for resource conservation: see "gets too expensive when you're mostly soloing", above. I'd like to be able to manage easy self-helaing situations off of a spell point bar.
- Nice to have: ability to stand in as a raid tank option on *some* raids (where AC + medium hit points work) would be a nice side benefit.

I've played around with a lot of hybrids that had some combination of Fighter, Pally, Monk, and Rogue levels, but noting quite worked.

So, I started looking recently at what an Artificer splash might bring to the table, and I noticed something kinda interesting: Battle Engineer 6 isn't a bad DPS splash for TWF builds. Assuming elemental weapons is "always on", the BE line gives +2 enhancement to the main hand weapon and +2 seeker, *and* Arti 6 comes with Damange Boost II. +5.5 main hand damage, +3.5 off hand damage, +2 seeker, and +15% damage boost? That doesn't sound half bad.

So, I sketched out what a Stalwart Defender 12/Battle Engineer 6/Monk 2 would look like:

Character Plan by DDO Character Planner Version 03.11.02
DDO Character Planner Home Page

Iron Beaver 
Level 20 Lawful Neutral Warforged Male
(12 Fighter \ 2 Monk \ 6 Artificer) 
Hit Points: 394
Spell Points: 295 
BAB: 17\17\22\27\27
Fortitude: 18
Reflex: 14
Will: 14

                  Starting            Ending          
Abilities        Base Stats         Base Stats        
(32 Point)       (Level 1)          (Level 20)        
Strength             16                 22            
Dexterity            15                 17            
Constitution         16                 18            
Intelligence         10                 13            
Wisdom               12                 14            
Charisma              6                  8            

Tomes Used
+1 Tome of Strength used at level 3
+1 Tome of Dexterity used at level 3
+1 Tome of Constitution used at level 3
+1 Tome of Intelligence used at level 3
+1 Tome of Wisdom used at level 3
+1 Tome of Charisma used at level 3
+2 Tome of Strength used at level 7
+2 Tome of Dexterity used at level 7
+2 Tome of Constitution used at level 7
+2 Tome of Intelligence used at level 7
+2 Tome of Wisdom used at level 7
+2 Tome of Charisma used at level 7
+3 Tome of Intelligence used at level 11

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
                 Base Skills         Modified Skills
Skills           (Level 1)            (Level 20)
Balance               4                     5
Bluff                -2                    -1
Concentration         3                     5
Diplomacy            -2                    -1
Disable Device        n/a                   n/a
Haggle               -2                    -1
Heal                  1                     2
Hide                  2                     3
Intimidate            0                    27
Jump                  3                     7
Listen                1                     2
Move Silently         2                     3
Open Lock             6                    23
Perform              n/a                   n/a
Repair                0                     1
Search                0                     1
Spot                  1                     2
Swim                  3                     7
Tumble                n/a                   n/a
Use Magic Device      2                    26

Level 1 (Artificer)
Feat: (Selected) Two Weapon Fighting


Level 2 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Weapon Focus: Slashing Weapons


Level 3 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Power Attack
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Toughness


Level 4 (Monk)
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Dodge


Level 5 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Exotic Weapon Proficiency: Khopesh


Level 6 (Fighter)
Feat: (Selected) Two Weapon Defense


Level 7 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Weapon Specialization: Slashing Weapons


Level 8 (Fighter)
Ability Raise: STR


Level 9 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Improved Two Weapon Fighting
Feat: (Selected) Oversized Two Weapon Fighting


Level 10 (Artificer)


Level 11 (Fighter)


Level 12 (Artificer)
Ability Raise: STR
Feat: (Selected) Improved Critical: Slashing Weapons


Level 13 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Greater Two Weapon Fighting


Level 14 (Artificer)
Feat: (Artificer Bonus) Maximize Spell


Level 15 (Fighter)
Feat: (Selected) Skill Focus: Use Magic Device


Level 16 (Artificer)
Ability Raise: STR


Level 17 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Combat Expertise


Level 18 (Fighter)
Feat: (Selected) Lightning Reflexes


Level 19 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Greater Weapon Specialization: Slashing Weapons


Level 20 (Artificer)
Ability Raise: STR
Enhancement: Fighter Armor Class Boost I
Enhancement: Fighter Armor Class Boost II
Enhancement: Artificer Damage Boost I
Enhancement: Artificer Damage Boost II
Enhancement: Fighter Haste Boost I
Enhancement: Fighter Haste Boost II
Enhancement: Fighter Haste Boost III
Enhancement: Fighter Haste Boost IV
Enhancement: Artificer Crossbow Attack I
Enhancement: Artificer Crossbow Damage I
Enhancement: Artificer Battle Engineer I
Enhancement: Fighter Stalwart Defender I
Enhancement: Fighter Stalwart Defender II
Enhancement: Fighter Khopesh Specialization I
Enhancement: Fighter Item Defense I
Enhancement: Racial Toughness I
Enhancement: Racial Toughness II
Enhancement: Racial Toughness III
Enhancement: Improved Intimidate I
Enhancement: Improved Intimidate II
Enhancement: Improved Use Magic Device I
Enhancement: Artificer Energy of Creation I
Enhancement: Fighter Strength I
Enhancement: Fighter Strength II
Enhancement: Fighter Strength III
Enhancement: Monk Wisdom I
Enhancement: Fighter Toughness I
Enhancement: Fighter Toughness II
Enhancement: Fighter Toughness III
Enhancement: Fighter Toughness IV
Enhancement: Artificer Wand and Scroll Mastery I
Enhancement: Artificer Wand and Scroll Mastery II
Enhancement: Warforged Constitution I
Enhancement: Warforged Constitution II
Enhancement: Warforged Healer's Friend I
Enhancement: Warforged Power Attack I
Enhancement: Warforged Power Attack II

Running some of the numbers, it looks like it hits a lot of my goals:


STR 16 [10] +5 bumps +7 item +3 exc +4 stance +2 tome +3 enh = 40
DEX 15 [8] +7 item +2 tome +2 exc = 26 ((Note that I'm using a +2 DEX tome to qualify for the TWF line!)
CON 16 [6] +2 enh +6 item +2 tome = 26
INT 10 [2] +3 tome [COLOR="rgb(255, 250, 205)"]((Note that I'm using a +3 INT tome to qualify for CE!)[/COLOR]
WIS 12 [6] +1 enh +6 item +2 tome +3 exc = 24
CHA 6 [0]

AC
10 base
8 dex
7 wis
9 armor (DT)
5 protection
5 ce
5 natural
4 insight
4 shield
3 dodge (item)
3 SD stance
3 guild ship
2 SD
2 dodge (item)
1 dodge (item)
1 dodge (feat)
1 TWD
1 alchemical
1 monk
1 haste
1 enchant armor
_____________
77 self-buffed

5 pally
2 cleric
4 bard
________
86

All-out-defense
Unarmed or kamas water stance: +2 (WIS and dodge)
House D pots: +2
Yugo pots: +2
______________
92

Saves
5/5/5 item
4/4/4 GH
2/2/2 luck
3/3/3 monk
2/2/2 fighter stance
(16)
7/8/7 stats
8/4/4 fighter
2/2/5 artificer
0/2/0 feats
_______________
35/32/32

All-out-defense:water stance
+2/2/3
37/34/35

UMD:
23 ranks
4 GH
3 skill focus
1 CHA
6 shroud item
3 Artificer
2 luck
3 persuasion
____________
45

DPS: 76 Force Benchmark (This puts it a bit higher than the Hate Monster and Big Rock Candy, comparable Warforged TWF defensive builds.)

Hit Points:
20 base
120 fighter
16 monk
36 Artificer
160 CON
22 Toughness Feat
70 Toughness Enh
20 Toughness Item
45 Shroud
30 GFL
10 Draconic
________________
549
*1.15
________________
631

So, overall, I feel there's a lot to like here -- for me, anyway. As a happy side effect, some non-negligable ranged damage comes for "free" with a crossbow/rune arm pairing, and I get a couple of extra caster levels added on to my most commonly-used soloing wands and scrolls: shield wands, GH scrolls, Resist Wands, etc. Comments/ideas on how to improve this template, with my original goals in mind?

But wait, there's more! There's a pretty interesting variant of this template that I noticed while I was putting it together. A Half-Elf Kensai 12/Battle-Engineer 6/Monk 2/Rogue 0 has some pretty similar characteristics to the age-old Exploiter/Yarhovah template. I'll call this "The Angry Beaver" for now. Flip Stalwart Defender to Kensai, add in full investment in the Rogue Dilletante Sneak Attack line and Damage Boost line, and you've got a pretty interesting profile. DPS projects to be about equal to the Exploiter on the Force Benchmark (~85% of an Axer), AC and saves are comparable. If you want, you can drop STR to 15 and bump INT to 12 and get the same trap skills the Exploiter has, although personally I favor the Yarhovah approach -- ignore traps, get slightly better DPS. But, the Angry Beaver gets slightly more hit points, and fatter Heal Scroll use due to the Arti levels. I may map that one out at some point in the future, although I probably wouldn't build that one personally -- the reason I didn't go with an Exploiter-like build in the first place is summed up right at the top of this post, after all! But, if anyone else is intrigued, it might be worth trying out.

[grodon9999]

You could make a dwarf variant, The Bearded Beaver.

[Cardtrick]

I love this. Really excellent build, I honestly have no criticism. Sadly, I must spread some rep around before hitting you again. I think I'll use a variant of this for my fighter life, if I ever get that far on my completionist project.

One thing worth noting for anyone who sees this and may be considering it: unlike most builds, the +3 Intelligence tome listed is actually required, not just a nice-to-have. Most people without one lying around would be better off moving a point from Wisdom to Int to qualify for Combat Expertise with only a +2 TOME, even though it sacrifices a point of AC when fully geared.

If I make one, I will most likely drop SF:UMD and Lightning Reflexes in favor of IC: Ranged and Point Blank Shot to get a little more use out of the situational repeater/runearm combination, but I don't think that's the right choice for most people.

[wax_on_wax_off]

One thing to observe is that the benefits of arti 6 don't scale particularly well at level 20. Often there will be another arti around who can cast deadly weapons and the benefits that you do get don't increase passive benefits (like lightning strike or even holy burst) which a splash like 6 ranger will.

So for a leveling build: awesome. For an end game build? Not so much.

[cforce]

One thing to observe is that the benefits of arti 6 don't scale particularly well at level 20. Often there will be another arti around who can cast deadly weapons and the benefits that you do get don't increase passive benefits (like lightning strike or even holy burst) which a splash like 6 ranger will.

So for a leveling build: awesome. For an end game build? Not so much.

Yep, absolutely. This is a build optimized for solo play more that group play -- I'm just aiming to be "not dead weight" in a group, not specifically optimized for group play.

[cforce]

If I make one, I will most likely drop SF:UMD and Lightning Reflexes in favor of IC: Ranged and Point Blank Shot to get a little more use out of the situational repeater/runearm combination, but I don't think that's the right choice for most people.

Yep, I definitely considered that direction. In the end, I felt a little light on reflex save. SF:UMD is honestly in there so that every last piece of UMD gear isn't absolutely necessary to get to the magic 39.

But, spending those two feats on ranged would definitely be something I'd endorse.

[cforce]

I just wanted to post another quick piece of validation I did. Since wearing a rune arm doesn't prevent the Monk WIS AC bonus, I wanted to make sure that this TWF direction is still more damage than the same level split, using a Bastard Sword/Rune Arm layout.

I was a little concerned at first: doing the Force Benchmark calcs, the Bastard Sword alone (with the requisite Toven's for max melee damage) only trailed this TWF build by about 80 DPS. Fortunately(?), the Rune Arm DPS being put out with only 6 levels of artificer falls below that -- below it even if you assume mobs are failing every save on the Rune Arm, when in fact they're probably making most of them.

Of course, going mostly-Arti on a Bastard Sword build would result in higher total DPS if proper Intelligence investments were made (for example, an Arti 18/Monk 2)... but the total defensive package on that build doesn't measure up for my needs -- AC is lower, saves are lower, hit points are quite a bit lower...

[CoasterHops]

So what if the same sorta build was made but Human - 3 dragonmarks of Sentinel, an epic chimeras fang, Tovens hammers when melee mobbing and switching to a shield for Tanking Purposes, could be room to fit in some THF feats instead of twf, is it that far behind a TWF Warforge?
Levelled up using Xbows of course hehe.
This is something I have been thinking about.

[wax_on_wax_off]

So what if the same sorta build was made but Human - 3 dragonmarks of Sentinel, an epic chimeras fang, Tovens hammers when melee mobbing and switching to a shield for Tanking Purposes, could be room to fit in some THF feats instead of twf, is it that far behind a TWF Warforge?
Levelled up using Xbows of course hehe.
This is something I have been thinking about.

I'll do this soon on a pure artificer. Rune Arms can add 200+ DPS on a pure int based artificer meaning that pure/int based will blow any other similarly themed build away.

I'd say that goes for TWF'ing too.

[cforce]

I'll do this soon on a pure artificer. Rune Arms can add 200+ DPS on a pure int based artificer meaning that pure/int based will blow any other similarly themed build away.

Yep, I'll second this. This makes a lot of sense as a pure Arti, or at the very least a Arti 18/Monk 2. For the pure arti, Bastard Sword and Rune Arm together is more damage than TWF. For a Arti splash like this one with only 6 levels, sticking with TWF just does more damage, so there's not a compelling reason to go RA/BS except flavor.